The KiwiSAT website reports that all hardware is complete and the KiwiSAT micro-satellite is operational. Final integration to launch ready awaits completion of command and control testing.
They say software is being developed and launch negotiation is underway in New Zealand. Earlier reports indicated that $1 million was required for a launch to a 700 km orbit.
Read the status report dated March 13, 2013 at http://www.kiwisat.org.nz/status.html
Mike Rupprecht DK3WN
One of the most frequently asked questions from newcomers to amateur satellites must be “Which satellites can I receive?”
Mike Rupprecht DK3WN has produced a summary of all active amateur radio satellites with frequencies and links to more detailed information. It is available at http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?page_id=29535
E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the PDF of the Winter edition of the OSCAR News magazine here. (As well as the earlier 2012 issues)
The paper edition is at the printers and should be posted to members within 2 weeks.
In this issue
• IARU Region 3 Chairman Michael Owen, VK3KI (SK)
• Amateur Radio Satellites – The First 25 Years
• G3CVI column “Haven’t got a callsign?”
• Low Noise Cavity Pre-Amplifier 70 cm EME and satellites by Domenico Marini, i8CVS
• Early Editions of Oscar News
• FUNcube Update
• Currently Active Spacecraft
• Shorts
The AMSAT-UK Membership year lasts for 12 months starting on January 1 each year.
AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch
Membership of AMSAT-UK is open to anyone who has an interest in amateur radio satellites or space activities, including the International Space Station (ISS).
E-members of AMSAT-UK are able to download OSCAR News as a convenient PDF that can be read on laptops, tablets or smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Join as an E-member at Electronic (PDF) E-membership
There are two rates for the paper edition to cover the extra postage costs:
UK
Rest of the World (Overseas)
See a PDF sample copy of “Oscar News” at http://www.amsat-uk.org/on_193_final.pdf
Join AMSAT-UK using PayPal, Debit or Credit card at
http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_9/Join-Amsat-UK.html
E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News from http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/on
IO-26 ITAMSAT
This documentary shows the preparation and launch of the first Italian amateur radio satellite, September 26, 1993. It was encoded and uploaded from original video master.
SpinSat comprises a 19 inch diameter sphere, with a mass of 55 kg and 4 antennas equal distance around the equator. It is intended to be a tumbling satellite with single axis momentum wheel and multiple micro-thrusters.
It aims to test new technology micro-thrusters and teach high school students about satellite operations.
Secondary mission is a 9k6 GFSK UHF store and forward AX.25 packet radio system with 2 watts of RF output. Planned for a July 2013 launch from Kennedy Space Center into a 330 km 51.6 degree inclination orbit.
A downlink frequency of 437.230 MHz has been coordinated.
IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel status page http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru
Close-up of the Oculus-ASR in the Lab – Image credit Michigan Tech Aerospace Enterprise
Oculus-ASR is a 70 kg satellite 45.72 cm by 78.74 cm by 45.72 cm. It consists of two modules that are permanently attached. An octagonal module, referred to as the Oculus module, sits atop a square module, known as the ASR module.
The Michigan Technological University Aerospace Enterprise team are proposing to fly a V/U transceiver with an AX.25 packet downlink.
Overview of the PRISM Ham Radio Service – Image Credit Tokyo University
The team that developed the PRISM satellite have announced it is being opened up for use by radio amateurs during afternoon passes.
The satellite was built by the University of Tokyo and launched on January 23, 2009 into a 660 by 670 km orbit. It uses AX.25 packet radio and can now be used by amateur radio operators as a store-and-forward message box.
Full details at http://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/prism/en/HAMservice.html
PRISM http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=119
CAMSAT CAS-2 banner at the Friedrichshafen Ham Radio 2012 event
CAMSAT are building two micro-satellites CAS-2A1 and CAS-2A2 to be combined into a binary star system for amateur radio communication and education.
There will be a radio link between two satellites when the satellites are in suitable positions in their orbits, so that the amateur radio communication coverage can be extended. Both spacecraft are 25kg 270x270x250mm and are planning to launch from Taiyuan into a sun synchronous, 1000km apogee, 99.5 degree orbit.
FITSAT-1 plans to use LED’s to signal in Morse code
The amateur radio CubeSat FITSAT-1 (aka NIWAKA) carries an Optical Communications experiment that aims to write Morse Code across the night sky. The satellite is fitted with a bank of high power LEDs that will be driven with 200W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes that may be visible to the unaided eye.
FITSAT-1 was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) at 15:44 UT on Thursday, October 4 along with F-1 and TechEdSat.
On Sunday, October 7 Takushi Tanaka JA6AVG provided this update:
We have received a lot of signal and telemetry reports from amsat members. All reports show FITSAT-1 starts working and sound. Thank you very much for your help.
We will examine movements, temperatures, and battery states of FITSAT-1 during these 10 days, and start experiments of 5.8GHz transmission and flashing LEDs.
I will announce the experiments on my web-page http://www.fit.ac.jp/~tanaka/fitsat.shtml
As well as 437.250 MHz and 437.445 MHz (both +/- 10 kHz Doppler) this innovative satellite can also transmit on 5840.0 MHz (+/- 134 kHz Doppler).
BUAA-SAT
BUAA-SAT is a university micro-satellite project developed by the students of Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics). It carries an amateur radio 435/145 MHz FM voice transponder.
